


The True Matchmaker

by No7



Series: imsorryineverfinishanythingforgiveme [2]
Category: GOT7, SEVENTEEN (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Mark Tuan-centric, Mentioned Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Mentioned Kim Seokjin | Jin, Mentioned Kim Taehyung | V, Mentioned Min Yoongi | Suga, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Mentioned Park Jimin (BTS), Mentioned SEVENTEEN Ensemble, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-01-07 06:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18405101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/No7/pseuds/No7
Summary: Mark Tuan comes to a Korean school to the first time to learn that it is filled with famous people. He then meets Jackson Wang, fencer, social event arranger, and matchmaker.He's surprised that someone so caring could reject themselves so much.





	1. The Famous People

"Okay, class, today we have a new student with us," I heard Teacher Namjoon begin. "Everyone, this is Mark Tuan, a transfer student from America. Mark, would you care to introduce yourself?"  
  
I nodded and stepped forward a little. I felt more eyes turn on me even though my eyes were glue to my red converses. I desperately wished I could run back to America. It took me long enough to become "that confident skateboard guy down the hall" in California, so to have to be renamed in a foreign country felt overwhelming. But I would just have to make do. I breathed in and looked up, trying to focus on the back wall.  
  
"Hi guys. I'm Mark Tuan. Nice to meet you," I said. I saw people whispering a little and I bit my lip. I really had that much of an American accent, huh? And I had tried to practice Korean SO hard. Well, so much for a good starting image.  
  
I glanced over at the teacher. He smiled at me warmly behind his round glasses, brushing back his titanium blonde bangs. That was the nice thing about the school. Unlike most, died hair and basic accessories were allowed, meaning my bright red hair and studs weren't a problem.  
  
"Thank you, Mark. You may go and sit next to Yugyeom in the back," he said, gesturing to the row of desks at the back corner of the classroom. Whispers broke out again. I felt uncomfortable as I walked to the back, purposefully blocking them out.  
  
I quietly sat beside this Yugyeom guy, staring at the dappled golden light flickering across my desk. Once I heard the teacher starting his lecture on math, I opened my black notebook and took out my pencil case, white with black ink designs of skulls, skakeboards, and other things. I looked over to examine this Yugyeom person as I reached for my pencil.  
  
He had big, bright eyes and a large nose that would look weird on anyone else, but for some reason actually looked quite good on his face. His curly bangs fell over his eyes, the hair a peculiar beige-gray shade.  
  
Then he looked up at me.  
  
Shoot, I thought, whipping my head back to focus intently on writing something Korean in my notebook. Suddenly, I saw a hand with a pencil starting to write in the corner of my paper.  
  
"Nice to meet you! Your Korean was good! =^w^=" the note said in scribbled letters. I looked up to see Yugyeom smiling at me quickly before looking back at his own notebook. I smiled and reached over to Yugyeom's notebook. I scribbled my own note, making sure the Korean was clear as possible.  
  
"Nice to meet you too! And thanks! •u•" I wrote. Yugyeom paused to read it. Then he flashed a smile at me that was filled with warmth, his eyes thin crescents.  
  
Maybe the first day would be better than I thought.  
  
. . .  
  
I was more than grateful when lunch came. The Korean came at me so fast that it was really hard to keep up. I managed, but barely. However, there was a new battle to be fought.  
  
Social dynamics, a.k.a. the hardest thing on earth.  
  
I could immediately tell I was doomed, for Yugyeom left in a rush, which only meant he wanted to get away to his friends ASAP. I looked around at all the cliches gathering around desks to eat lunch, their laugher rising into the air with the light late summer air. I glanced outside. The sky was still bright blue and there was a sweet breezing passing through.  
  
I stood up and grabbed my skateboard and my small sporty bag, which was lying next to my backpack. I was wise to pack my basketball in my sports bag. At least I could skateboard and shoot hoops solo.  
  
I jogged out of the room and down the hall a little ways, careful to avoid the other people. Didn't need people to question me and find some reason to tease me for life.  
  
"Wait! Mark Tuan!" A voice exclaimed slightly nasally, but still smooth. I turned around to see Yugyeom running up to me, a big grin on his face. He was taller than I expected. As a matter of fact, he towered above me.  
  
"Hey," I said in confusion.  
  
"Would you like to join me for lunch? I'm heading to the room next door," he said, pointing to the next room. I stared at him in shock. Him? Inviting an American dork like me? Unsure how else to respond, I shrugged.  
  
"Sure," I said. "Are you okay with that?" I said in hesitant Korean. Dang, it was so nerve-wracking to speak still.  
  
"Of course!" Yugyeom said in English, albeit in a very heavy accent. I raised my eyebrows and smirked.  
  
"Good," I said in Korean, giving him a thumbs-up. Yugyeom beamed and escorted me to the next room.  
  
"Yo man!" A guy shouted from a table. He was definitely the ultimate male diva, his hair styled up, makeup (yes, MAKEUP) bright and dangly earrings flashy. The guy across from him was more endearing with a roundish face and large round glasses. He reminded me of an otter for some reason. Yugyeom smiled and waved at them, leading me over. They immediately started to stare at me, particularly the diva.  
  
"Now who's this handsome-as-hell gangster newbie?" The diva said in Korean.  
  
"This is Mark, an American transfer student," Yugyeom said, gesturing to me. I bowed quickly.  
  
"Nice to meet you," I said in Korean. The diva grinned.  
  
"Good Korean, but you can drop the formalities. Welcome to the clan!" The diva said cheerfully. "I'm Bambam, the Thai transfer from last year and the best fashionista."  
  
I nodded. I thought his Korean sounded a little odd. I looked over at the otter boy, who grinned up at me.  
  
"I'm Youngjae. Welcome! If you want any help with clubs in the music category, you can call me up," he said with a bright smile. He was such a ball of sunshine.  
  
"Go ahead, sit!" Yugyeom said, pulling up a chair. I sat quietly and smiled at them.  
  
"So," Bambam said, "what brought you here?"  
  
"My parents decided to move due to job upgrades. Besides, they always liked Korean culture," I explained. Bambam nodded.  
  
"Well, your Korean sure is impressive," Bambam commented. I smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Do you like Korean culture?" Yugyeom asked. I thought for a little.  
  
"It's cool," I responded. "I doubt I'll fit in."  
  
"It's fine," Youngjae said with a warm smile. "You'll fit in just fine. You're already a cool person." I smiled back. He really was a sweet otter.  
  
"Besides," Bambam added in with a playful grin, "the girls have been talkin' 'bout you nonstop." Bambam flicked his head over to some girls in the back, who had been whispering since I came in. I looked over at them. They met my eyes and squealed, hiding their faces. I blinked confused, looking back at Bambam.  
  
"Anywaysssss," Yugyeom said, shooting a look at Bambam, "do you know the campus yet?" I nodded.  
  
"The principal showed me yesterday," I replied. Yugyeom smiled.  
  
"Well, that's good," he said. "If that's the case, we gotta inform you on something much more important."  
  
"Much more important?" I asked, tilting my head. Bambam's eyes lit up.  
  
"Aaaaah, yes, something definitely more important. My friend," Bambam said with a dramatic pause. "It's time you learn about the big people here." I looked at him curiously.  
  
"In other words," Youngjae clarified, "there are some famous people on our campus that are realllllly well known here that everyone should know about."  
  
"Exactly," Bambam added. "So let's break it down. Yugyeom, list the active people first."  
  
"Okay," Yugyeom nodded. "First, there's Jungkook, ultimate relay runner and strongest person ever. He can topple hyungs with his finger tip. Also, never take his banana milk. Then, there is Jun, martial arts kick. Will whoop your butt for fun or if you take his spicy wings. Don't insult him in foriegn languages, he will probably get it. There's also Suga, basketball genius. Has been rumored to have only missed 17 hoops in the 7 years that he's played. Then there is J-hope, the popping king. Owns any song for real. And there is Jaebum, the b-boy king. Can do real tight spins on his hands. It's pretty darn neat."  
  
I hummed, impressed to know there were so many cool people here. Bambam grinned at Yugyeom.  
  
"Yugyeom's also known as Hit The Stage because he owns the stage when he dances. He also knows this cool move where he suddenly hits his back on the ground real smooth," Bambam added. "But now for the intellectuals. Jimin. All A's his entire life. Never got a B, not even once. Then there's Taehyung. Absolute science whiz. Sometimes goes on tangents and creates stories about bugs or something, but knows all science facts at the end of the day. Then, there's Jeonghan. Math whiz. With foil an equation in mere minutes. Finally, Jinyoung. The bookworm that has social skills. Knows every classic like the back of his hand. Writing an essay is a piece of cake to him. And NEVER touch his books without permission."  
  
I nodded again. This was getting to become a whole lot of names. I wondered if I had seen one of them already. Probably. Bambam beamed and shot a smile at Youngjae.  
  
"Right," Youngjae began. "And then there are the people of the arts. Woozi's really good at make songs. He churns them like he's on fire. Then, there's Hoshi, who has a beautiful, angelic voice. Taehyung does too, but he doesn't come to the music room that often."  
  
"Youngjae's also an amazing singer, songwriter and piano-player," Yugyeom added in. I nodded again and smiled at Youngjae. I was curious to hear his voice.  
  
"And then," Bambam continued. "The social people. The top of the cliche crop, if I may say so myself. First, Vernon. Handsome like a god. Eats 10 tons of sugar and doesn't gain an ounce. Then Seungkwan. Real playful and real handsome. Knows Jaebum. Don't ever give him tomatoes. Then, Mingyu, one of Yugyeom's besties. Really nice guy. Social and cheerful. Handsome and he knows it. There's Jin as well. Playful and prideful, except he has reason to be with his looks."  
  
I nodded, although my head was spinning. So many names. Bambam leaned back in satisfaction.  
  
"And that's it," he said. I sighed in relief, rubbing my temple. However, Yugyeom and Youngjae stared at Bambam in confusion.  
  
"I think you're missing a big someone," Youngjae whispered. I looked at him. Yugyeom nodded profusely.  
  
"Well, yeah, there's HIM, but I'm sure you've met Jackson already, right?" Bambam asked. I blinked in confusion. His eyes widened.  
  
"You don't mean . . . you haven't met THE Jackson?!" He screeched. I flinched and shook my head. Bambam banged his hand on the desk.  
  
"Okay, if you remember nothing else today, remember this person I'm telling you of RIGHT NOW," Bambam said forcefully. "There is a king at our school. And he is . . . Jackson Wang. THE Jackson Wang. Fencing king. Language whiz. Handsome. Worked out a social network more complicated than the Korean train station system. But most important, the Ultimate Matchmaker. Anybody he pairs up WILL become a couple FOR REAL. He even paired up guys together and it worked! People pay him to be matched up now. So just know. If you ever meet The Jackson Wang, BE RESPECTFUL."  
  
I listened carefully to every word. I nodded my head.  
  
"I got it," I responded.  
  
"Good," Bambam said as the bell rang. I packed up my bags and headed back to class with Yugyeom, trying to process everything. We were taking literature notes next, but I wrote down words without really listening. I could only think back to Bambam's final words before I left.  
  
Who was this Jackson Wang?


	2. Hate or What?

I was hoping that within the first week, I would be able to point out all the famous people, but it wasn't so clear cut. There weren't crowds of people surrounding a single person all the time. For the most part, everyone seemed to be normal, hanging out with normal groups of friends, supposed fans nowhere to be seen.  
  
The next day at lunch, I asked Bambam about this.  
  
"Ahhh, well, there was a period of time where it was like that, but it proved to have very negative affects on the famous people. Eventually, there was a movement for people to leave them alone during school hours. This received lots of support, so now there is a school rule saying you can obsessively follow someone around all the time. Even if the school doesn't catch you, you'll get shamed by everyone else," Bambam explained.  
  
"That's good," I commented.  
  
"I know, right? I'm glad we have that in place. People deserve space," Bambam said, closing his metal container and packing it away along with his metal chopsticks.  
  
"You finished already?" Youngjae asked in shock, looking down at the partially eaten golden bun he was eating. Bambam nodded and stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.  
  
"Sorry guys, but I gotta head out. I have to do some extra work for a theatre production the acting club is putting on," he explained.  
  
"You do acting?" I asked, intrigued.  
  
"Mmhm. You should see me act sometime! I suck, but it should be entertaining," Bambam said with a grin.  
  
"Oh no! I forgot I promised to work on a song with Woozi!" Youngjae exclaimed, clutching his head. Bambam's eyes widened.  
  
"Better hurry if you want to live," he said. Youngjae stuffed the bun in his bag and ran out. Bambam chuckled, adjusting his loose, way-too-large white button-down. He grinned at me.  
  
"See you later," he said.  
  
"Wait!" I exclaimed as he was about to turn the corner. He paused and looked back at me.  
  
"Where's Yugyeom?" I asked.  
  
"Oh! He had to go to dance practice. It happens at lunch every Tuesday. Sorry about that," he said, looking down, clearly feeling bad for leaving me.  
  
"It's fine. Go do your thing," I said with a genuine small smile. I was okay with being independent. Bambam smiled when he saw me, a little reassured.  
  
"See ya," Bambam said, and with that, he left.  
  
Now I was on my own.  
  
I finished my slice of cold pizza in a few bites before standing up and stretching a little. I scrunched the dirty foil that was around the pizza and threw it across the room to land it perfectly in the trash can. I was about to grab my bag with the basketball, but suddenly, I felt like going on a casual stroll around the campus. I shrugged and left my bags behind, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my large black jean jacket and walking out.  
  
I roamed the halls for a while, not really paying close attention to anything besides avoiding bumping into people. After 5 minutes though, this proved to be very boring. I decided to start keeping my eye out for some of the famous people Bambam mentioned.  
  
I spotted Seungkwan first. As I turned into a new hall, I spotted a good-looking guy with blond hair, a white button-down, and a beige shirt underneath that. However, I could tell it was him due to his very loud conversation. I slid over and leaned against the wall nearby, making myself as quiet and invisible as possible.  
  
"Here, let ME teach you how to act," he said dramatically to the guys surrounding him. "Let's imagine I'm a male lead and I'm chatting with you guys, but suddenly I see a tsunami. Here's how it should go." He rolled up his sleeves and threw forward his arms.  
  
"Yo, what's up man! Yeah what's up!" He said in English all the sudden. Out of nowhere, he stopped and his eyes widened.  
  
"OH MY GOOOOOOD!! OH MY GOD!! DANGER!! DANGER!! YOU SO DANGER!!" He suddenly started yelping, running and jumping around like a madman. Everyone burst into laughter. It took all my self-control to keep my laughter at chuckles. Once he stopped, everyone cheered for him.  
  
"Yeah Seungkwan!" Some people cheered. So that was how I discovered Seungkwan.  
  
Mingyu was an interesting encounter that happened very quickly. I just happened to be walking down the hall after seeing Seungkwan when a shadow fell on me. I looked to my left to see a guy as tall as a redwood tree passing by. I was so stunned I just stopped where I was.  
  
"A beanstock?" I hushed as he walked away. Suddenly he whipped around, his face very red.  
  
"MY NAME IS MINGYU THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!" He shouted at me.  
  
"Okay okay sorry!!" I yelped, stepping back a little out of surprise. He huffed and walked away. So I guess that was Mingyu.  
  
I continued to walk down the halls when suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked over to see another guy who was very close to me, eyes glimmering with curiousity through his rose gold rimmed glasses. I stepped back a little.  
  
"Uh, hi?" I responded hesitantly.  
  
"Are you the rose prince?" He asked very seriously. I blinked.  
  
"Pardon?" I asked.  
  
"I heard that there's a legendary rose prince that is supposed to be very dashing and have flaming red hair," he said, pointing at my hair.  
  
"Oh this is dyed," I explained. "Nice of you to consider me to even be a prince though."  
  
"Oh I see. Sorry," he said with a silly, boxy grin. "I'm Taehyung. Nice to meet you!"  
  
"Nice to meet you too," I said with a smile. He was about to ask something when out of nowhere, a door slammed open and a guy rushed out with a furious expression. He had ruffled brown bangs and seemed to be well-built.  
  
"TAE YOU GIVE ME BACK MY BANANA MILK!!" He screeched. The guy next to me started to step back.  
  
"Jungkook, I swear, it was Jin this time!!" He protested, but the guy (apparently Jungkook) wasn't hearing any of it. He started charging full force towards the guy by me, who was apparently Taehyung. Taehyung then ran off, Jungkook close on his tail. Jungkook really was fast.  
  
I quietly kept track of the people I met so far. Seungkwan, Mingyu, Taehyung, and Jungkook. I continued to roam the halls, but I couldn't seem to spot anyone else for now. Eventually, I stopped by an open window and stared out into the open blue sky, watching the clouds roll by.  
  
As there was a lull in surrounding conversation, I heard faint hip hop music from behind me. I turned around, listening closely. I slowly traced where the music was coming from, leading me to a small dance room where mirrors lined the large wall. I peeked in to see a figure popping out to the music, wearing clad black jeans and a loose white tanktop, beige-gray bangs damp with sweat.  
  
I watched in fascination as Yugyeom danced, owning the rhythm. He chose a good Chris Brown song. There were a few other guys in the room, all of then against the right wall, cheering for him. One guy with a unique face shape leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a small smile on his face, but eyes full of precision. It was clear he was a dominant dancer.  
  
Yugyeom finished nicely, earning him applause from the others. I watched as the dominant dancer guy walked over and patted Yugyeom on the back.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes met mine. I desperately wanted to run away, but my body stiffened and I couldn't move. He started to approach me, his smile warm and heart-shaped. I still felt hesitant though and clutched the door frame.  
  
"Hi there! Are you the transfer student?" He said warmly, taking my hand and drawing me into the room. I nodded, not daring to say a word. Yugyeom saw me and smiled, coming to my side.  
  
"J-hope, this is Mark. Mark, J-hope," Yugyeom introduced me. I bowed to J-hope, especially since he was one of the famous people.  
  
"Nice to meet you," I mumbled.  
  
"Nice to meet you! Wanna chill here?" J-hope said brightly, guiding me to sit against the wall with the others.  
  
"Thanks," I said, sitting down, staring down at my sneakers, not daring to meet the eyes of others. I listened as J-hope stepped away and moved to the stage. I heard someone sit next to me. I glanced over to see Yugyeom sitting next to me. I quickly looked back at my shoes, fearing that he may be annoyed at my sudden appearance. I felt hand land on top of mine. I looked back at him.  
  
He smiled brightly at me so that I felt slightly better. He didn't really say anything, but his sparkling eyes spoke volumes. I felt left stiff and I smiled back.   
  
The crowd whooped, so I looked back at the stage. J-hope popped to the beat, footwork flawless, dark green sweatshirt wheeling around. Before I knew it, the performance finished. I cheered with everyone else. It was very impressive. He grinned brightly at us and sat next to Yugyeom.  
  
Another person stepped to the stage, a guy with broad shoulders and a baggy red hoodie. He also had dark hair styled into a mullet that would be disgusting on anyone else, but wasn't horrendous on him.  
  
I expected normal hip hop dancing, but he hit the ground and started to b-boy. His feet moved at the speed of light. I could help but be stunned. We cheered louder when he finished.  
  
"That was Jaebum," Yugyeom whispered in my ear. I nodded. J-hope and Jaebum were now on my list. I thought hard of the names Bambam told me.  
  
"Is Hoshi here?" I whispered in Yugyeom's ear. Yugyeom shook his head.  
  
"He's sick today. You'll see him soon enough though," Yugyeom said. I nodded.   
  
"Yo new kid! Get up!" A voice shouted. I looked up to see Jaebum smirking at me. His eyes were friendly, but he also wanted a challenge. I was instantly wary of his type.  
  
"I'm fine," I responded, keeping my gaze strong.  
  
"That isn't an answer. Get up," he said, grabbing my arm. His pull was so strong I stumbled onto my feet and onto the stage. Everyone cheered for me.  
  
I gulped. There was no backing out now. I heard a heavy base drop. I recognized the song.  
  
"Lucid Dreams."  
  
I hesitately started, but I eventually lost my head in my beat. I popped to the rhythm, focusing carefully to keep the tempo. I decided to make it interesting at the end. I did a flip in the air, somersaulting to land and spin on my feet smoothly. I heard some cheers and felt encouraged. I did a fancy kick in the air and moved to the other side of the room. I cartwheeled and used the momentum to do a full body spin. And then the music ended.  
  
Everyone whooped wildly. Yugyeom suddenly rushed at me and wrapped his arms around my waist, spinning me around. I couldn't help but laugh in relief.  
  
"Anyways, it's 5 minutes before the end of lunch, so let's call it a day," J-hope declared. "Good work everyone!"  
  
People cheered as they headed to the door. I watched as Yugyeom came back to the wall. He started to pack his water bottle and phone in his black backpack. He struggled to put it in.  
  
"Uh, Mark, you can go ahead of me. Thanks for visiting!" He said to me. I nodded and grinned before heading out.  
  
I quickly paced down the hallways to get to the classroom with my bags. Suddenly, someone's shoulder hit me and I hit the ground. I winced as my knees banged against the solid ground.  
  
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay! Let me help you!" A voice exclaimed. I felt a steady hand come under my arm and help lift me up. I looked over to see who has helped me.  
  
Although at this point, I had seen various handsome guys, his looks were sonething else so that my breath was caught in my chest for a second. He had a muscular build, but not ridiculously so. His eyes glimmering with kindness from under his hazelnut bangs.  
  
He seemed more shocked by me though. His eyes widened, and his smile dropped so that his mouth was open a little in awe or something.  
  
I used this moment to reorient myself. I smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a klutz," I laughed. He still seemed surprised or something, for he just continued to stare at me.  
  
"Uh, hello?" I asked. He blinked and his cheeks became bright red.  
  
"Oh uh sorry! Um, well, I'm glad you're alright!" He stuttered. I couldn't help but giggled at his flustered state. He shook his head and slapped himself. "Man, I'm out of my element. I'm Jackson, nice to meet you," he said, sticking out his hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mark," I replied. I remained calm, but I remembered what Bambam said. This was the Jackson guy. The biggest of the big figures. I made a note in my head to make sure I respected him. He smiled at me, but suddenly, I felt a switch in his eyes. They seemed to turn fearful and cold.  
  
"Well, see you around!" He said before running off. I watched as he turned the corner. Unsure of what to make of that, I moved forward and headed back to my bags.  
  
The next day, when I told Bambam of my interaction with Jackson, he said that it was very odd. He said that Jackson tends to extend a conversation, even at the most inconvenient moments, so for him to cut it off was unusual. I wondered if he hated me or something, but Bambam told me to not worry. The next 2 weeks, I continued to hang out with Bambam, Youngjae, and Yugyeom. When I wanted to listen to someone, I interacted more with Bambam since he always had something to talk about. We decided to create a tradition of getting soda on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. We always were silly together, talking about random crap. With Youngjae, we weren't as close, but there was instant mutual respect. We realized we both had strong individual characters, although we were very different. We didn't talk a lot with just the two of us, but we didn't have to in order to respect each other. As for Yugyeom, he quickly became like a brother to me, visiting for long hours on the weekend. We could already be comfortable in silence, which was saying a lot. We just had a special connection where we could ask each other questions for hours. My mom especially liked him, so that made it easier.  
  
For some reason, I couldn't seem to find any other famous people besides the ones I already found. What was stranger though was that Jackson continued avoiding me. Whenever we made eye contact in the halls, before I could even say hi, he would rush off to do something or start conversation with someone else. And yet, when I would take a 5 minute break from social interaction, sometimes I would catch him staring at me. He would immediately look away when I saw him, but I knew. I just didn't know what to make of it.  
  
Did he hate me or something?


End file.
